#Cass I hope you know you’re the main reason I’ve been drawing so often

[jazzy-mass]

@somerandomdudelmao updated and this was stuck in my head as soon as I finished reading so here

[thebluenebula]

Ashleigh Wayne Fic AU Masterlist

Kitten

~1600 words

Major Characters: Bruce Wayne, Selina Kyle (Catwoman), Carrie Kelley, Ashleigh Wayne

Minor Characters: Jason Todd, Cassandra Cain, Stephanie Brown, Harper Row, Duke Thomas

Selina finally returns to the Manor after her 'vacation' with the intent of finally meeting Bruce's newest kitten. Unfortunately for her, the kitten isn't quite as eager to meet her.

Selina climbed in the open window, and quietly crept across the room until a menacing growl caused her to stop. "It's just me, Ace."

The dog took a final look at her, then went right back to sleep at bottom of the bed. Selina discarded her goggles, and gloves, before crawling in under the covers, and wrapping her arms around Bruce. He flinched at the touch of her hands. "Cold night?"

"Freezing."

"Where have you been?"

"Here, there, everywhere."

"I've been worried about you."

"Why didn't you send out a search party then?"

"Barry still complains about the last time I sent him to find you."

"I did warn him," she chuckled. "I heard our new kitten arrived. When are you going to introduce us?"

"She was in the living room when I came up to bed if you'd like to go down to her."

"I think I'll wait till morning, and what exactly are you doing in bed this early, it's barely past midnight?"

"Alfred said if I don't sleep for at least six hours he'd hide the keys of the Batmobile."

"Still listening to daddy's orders."

"Would you disobey Alfred?"

"Do I look like I have a death wish?" She lay into his chest. "Anyway, I'm too tired."

"Then how about we get some of that sleep he suggested?"

"That sounds good to me."

When Selina woke the next morning Bruce was still sound asleep. She chose not to disturb him, instead she got dressed, choosing to rob his clothes instead of using her own, and headed for the kitchen where she found Carrie, and Ash eating cereal. She crept up behind Carrie, and hugged her. "Hello, my little Kitten."

"Selina," she excitedly cried, "I didn't know you were coming over today."

"I thought I'd surprise you." She looked up at Ash, who was staring at her. "So you're Bruce's newest Kitten, I've been excited to meet you"

"Hi," she awkwardly replied.

"I'm Selina," she said, holding out her hand, which Ash cautiously shook.

"It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise." She headed to the fridge, and grabbed a yoghurt. When she turned back, Ash had disappeared. "Where'd she go?"

"Bolted as soon as you turned your back, she does that a lot," Carrie explained.

"It's bad enough with Bruce," she muttered as she sat across from Carrie. "Why can't she just be like you?"

"Like me?"

"You, quite literally, jumped into my arms when I first met you."

"I was excited to see you."

"You still jump into my arms."

"I'm still excited to see you."

"And I love that." She reached across the table, and patted Carrie's head. On her way back, she quickly grabbed Carrie's spoon, and used it to dig into her own yoghurt.

"Hey!"

"You weren't using it."

"Yes I was," she protested, lunging across the table. Selena dodged, and took off running, stuffing her mouth with yoghurt as she went.  "Come back with that," she shouted, taking chase.

- - - - -

Selena slumped down onto the bed beside Bruce. "Bad day?"

"Bad week, I've been trying to get to know Ash, but I can barely get two words in before she just disappears. Where does she even go?"

"You can't force her to like you."

"Oh yes I can, I'm sure Ivy wouldn't mind lending me some of her pheromones," she joked.

"That's cheating."

"I never was one for following the rules."

"You promised not to douse anymore of my children in pheromones, not after last time."

"That was an accident."

Bruce chuckled. "We're having a movie night tommorow, maybe you could try then."

"I already thought of that, Carrie says she'll just hide behind one of her siblings for the whole thing."

"Probably, but she's usually sleepy by the end of it, and that generally makes her easier to talk to."

"Is there a reason she doesn't like me?"

"No, she just can be... odd with people. She was actually really excited at the thought of meeting you."

"Did you try talking to her about me?"

"Yeah, but she didn't really answer my questions, just kind of ungracefully danced around them."

"Has she met Talia yet?"

"No, but I expect she'll appear around soon, she usually does."

- - - - -

It was a small movie night, with half the kids out of town, or otherwise occupied, only Bruce, Selena, Jason, Cass, Steph, Harper, Carrie, Duke and Ash were actually present.

Steph won the draw, and chose the movie, Twilight, much to Jay's displeasure, the others suspected that was her main reason behind picking it, but didn't question it.

About halfway through the movie Jay gave up watching it, and left despite Bruce's demands to stay. Ash quickly took his spot beside Bruce, and lay her head in his lap. It didn't take long for Ash to fall sound asleep.

Bruce gestured for Selina to come over. She did, leaving Carrie alone on the other couch, much to her displeasure. Bruce snuck out from under Ash, and let Selena take his place, laying Ash's back in place. "I'll be back in a little."

"You sure she'll be okay with this?"

"Of course, she lies like this with Kate all the time."

"I'm not Kate."

"She'll love it, promise," he insisted as he made his way out, stopping to cover Harper, and Duke, who were snuggled up together, sound asleep, with a blanket. Carrie waited till he was gone, before huffing across the room, and snuggling in under the covers with them.

The movie ended, and Cass, and Steph left, leaving just Selena. "Kitten, are you awake?"

Carrie lifted her head from Harper's shoulder. "Yeah."

"Coming over," she asked, patting the seat the far side of her. Carrie carefully left Harper, and made her way to Selina, laying beside her, and snuggling her head in beside Ash's. Selena gently scratched the top of her head. "I love you, Kitten."

"I love you too, Mom."

"Mom? It's not too often I hear that."

Carrie grumbled something unintelligible in response.

"I will always love you, Kitten, so, so much."

"I know."

"I know you know, but I still love telling you." She leant in close to Carrie, and whispered. "You'll always be my favourite. Now go to sleep, Love."

"You're my favourite too, Mom."

"I better be, I'm the only mom you have."

Carrie soon fell asleep, her fears, and jealousy quelled for now, though Selina didn't sleep, nor did she attempt to. Bruce had told her how Ash almost always woke at least once a night, and it didn't take too long before it occurred.

Ash raised her head a little. "Bruce?"

"Hello," Selina said, causing Ash to shoot up.

"I'm so sorry, I don't know how-"

Selena shushed her, and gently pushed her back down. "It's alright, just rest."

Ash glanced to Carrie, and settled back in beside her. "How did I get here?"

"Does it matter?"

"I guess not."

"Ashleigh, do you not like me?"

She looked up to Selina. "Of course I like you, you're Catwoman, you're awesome."

"Then why have you been avoiding me?"

Ash thought for moment, before choosing to be honest. "I'm not sure how I'm supposed to feel about you."

"What do you mean? How you're supposed to feel about me?"

"Every one keeps telling me that you're an amazing mother, that'll you'll be an amazing mother to me, but I don't know if I want... a new mother, so to speak."

"I am, at least a little bit, like a mother to everyone of Bruce's kids, and if I can be that for you, I'll happily be, but if that's not what you want, you can think me as just a friend, you don't have to think of me in anyway, but just know that I love you, no matter what you think of me."

"Why?"

"Why? Well, you're my boyfriend's child, and he has a great eye for lovable children, and from the many, many stories he's told me about you, I know when I get you know you, I will love you."

"I don't know how I want to think of you, part of me wants to think of you like what they tell me. Is that strange?

"Not at all, you don't have to decide how you feel about me straight away, and I certainly don't expect you to. How about you just get to know me, and ill get to know you, and we can figure how we feel about each other together?"

She smiled. "Okay."

"Now its time to get some rest, Sleepy Head."

"Alright." She attempted to get up, but Selina forced her down again.

"Ah, ah, ah. You can lay right beside Carrie if you want, I know she won't stir until morning."

"It's okay?"

"Of course, it's always okay, you can sleep in beside me when I'm here, you can come to me with your troubles, or you can just come to me if you need some attention, everyone needs that from time to time."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, now rest, we can talk again tomorrow."

Ash shut her eyes, and was soon asleep beside her sister. Not too long after that, Bruce returned, sitting beside Selina, careful not to sit on his daughter's legs. "You talked to her?"

"We talked," she confirmed, running a hand through Ash's hair.

"Good news, I'll take it."

"Of course."

"I see you also picked up another 'kitten' as well."

"You know Carrie, she gets jealous."

"You think she'll be okay?"

"If she loves Ash half as much as I think she does, yeah, she'll be fine.

"Good. I guess you're staying here for the night."

"I don't think I have much of choice."

"No, you don't, which I guess means I've got to stay here as well."

"You better."

Bruce found another blanket, and tossed it across the trio, before sneaking his way in beside Harper, and Duke on the other couch.

The six slept soundly that night, none stirring till near noon, and when they did, a lovely breakfast had been prepared, courtesy of Alfred.

This fic has changed a lot more from the original concept then most of my fics do, but I'm so glad it's done. It feels really important to my overall story. It's brings in a lot of things I wanted, Selina beginning to be a mother figure to Ash, Selina + Carrie having an incredibly close Mother/Daughter bond, and the fact that Carrie get jealous easily, in particular when it comes to Selina + Harper. Anyway I hope you enjoyed - TBN